Just say "No" to ________

I'd like to be able to learn how to do this whole "saying no" business and I thought I was actually on track for a while. I've been saying "no" to a conducting job since the summer but they've finally worn my down and I've agreed to fill in until their July 1st gig is over. I'm a moron and I know it. Please, someone slap me. Please... I need reinforcements here.

I agreed to be a mentor (laugh now) for someone's master's thesis which means I'm basically their editor and might as well be their supervisor because their supervisor is apparently content with whatever I say is good because the supervisor know nothing about music - his words, not mine. I spent 1.5 hours editing tonight instead of going to the gym like I wanted to do and now I'm starting to get anxious about all the work I need to do there and at my actual job.

Again... please, someone... anyone.... slap me.

"Thank Heaven for Little Girls" my @$$!

Alan Lerner was a moron. I mean, what idiot comes up with that phrase and then had the nerve to make it into a song? Why ruin music with such an idiot comment? He obviously didn't teach a group of 12-13 year old girls.

My PE class is killing me... or trying to. Wait, a more accurate statement would be the follow quotation relayed to me by my co-worker, Mr.A.: "Mr.A, just so you know, I'm going to do everything in my power get Ms. M. fired!"

Yup. That's good times I tell ya. See, I have this "silly" idea that in PE class you should... wait for it... wait for it... PARTICIPATE!

*GASP*

I know, I know... the NERVE! But wait.. I'm even MORE unreasonable. I want them to be in proper gym strip so they don't get their regular clothes gross and stinky/muddy and wet.


*GASP GASP*

Told you I was brutal. This gaggle of five girls actively do not participate. Yes, that's what I meant, they try their damnedest to NOT participate because that's what I'm wanting them to do. I tried the whole routine of praising those who were participating, you know, catch them when they're doing something good but that just made them try other things.

The gym strip thing is stupid - I mean seriously... you want to pick a fight with me over something so lame, be my guest. You won't win. The excuse of "I don't have any money" doesn't cut it when the island you live on has a free store! But hang on, I said the wrong island name when I was suggesting it so that entitles you to pick a fight about how you wouldn't go to that store because the Island you live on has it's own and blah blah blah blah blah.

I was so done with them today that I made the ones who were literally, I'm not exaggerating here, literally standing around on the soccer field while 4 of the 9 of them on that field tried to actually play a game... I made the 5 go into the school and wait while I got an administrator to come out and deal with the stupidity. I was so done. However, I think this made it worse because as "little girls" can do, they batted their eyelashes and made me sound like a real ogre and now admin is suggesting that we have a whole class meeting because they're not getting along with me and vice versa.

ARE YOU KIDDING!? That's totally playing into their hands! We're not "getting along" because the darlings don't know how to show respect and/or not lip off and/or be prepared for class.

ARGH! Not impressed and now this is going to be haunting me all weekend. I can't believe that something so great - like the BIG CONCERT last night is being overshadowed by moronic girls. I know that I'm letting it get to me but it's really hard to not let it get to you. Give me my boys class any day - please!

Forecast: coughing with a bit of television

This morning I woke up with a tickle in my throat - the first sign of trouble to come. I was feeling all smug that I haven't been afflicted by whatever virus is making the rounds at work these days and now.. NOW when the busy season of work begins I'm getting it too. GRRR!

I still went to the gym today though and did 60 minutes of cardio without coughing so I was pleased with that. I felt totally guilty after not going to the gym last night and instead ate chocolate and licorice with Likalia as we watched movies. Okay... I ate most of the bad food, she had popcorn.

Now what to do with the rest of the day is the questions. I have essays to mark (thrilling) and then there is the watching TV option. mmmm.... I wonder which I will choose?

Personal Trainer Session #1

AWESOME NIGHT! It was great! This was the first of 12 sessions. I had the one shot deal and since then have signed up for 12 more and I'm so excited. At first, when I signed up, the girls at the desk were saying "That's so EXCITING!" and I was laughing at them thinking "what is this so exciting?" Now I get it! It is exciting! My trainer is terrific. We're both ultra driven and really focused which is perfect. Who... me competitive? ;)

We really did a lot of isolated weight training tonight which was a change from the first routine she set for me. I'm going to alternate between the two. The first is more core oriented and all over work so that's good. I'm REALLY EXCITED about this! I think it's going to be great. Yes, it's an expense and kinda extravagant but... yes, it's clique.. I'm worth it!

I also found out today that the work scenario has once again changed for next year and I'm thinking more and more seriously about how the 'forced move' (aka permanent lay-off) is going to be a good thing. I think the 5 years of beating my head against the wall should have been a sign but I'm also quite stubborn (again... who me? never!). I'll find out soon enough what the lo-down turns out to be. Until then I'll rip it up at the gym and feel good about something I can control instead of feeling crappy about all the things at work that I can't control.

:D

Weekend Warrior

Okay... slight exaggeration. I wasn't a warrior but I felt like I accomplished a lot fitness wise.

Saturday was fantabulous! A crew of people headed up the mountain to participate in the snowshoe & fondue evening. Brilliant! There were about 25 which included our crew of 6 (check out Likalia's page for more info). I was excited about my new snow pants - silly but true. She and I had gone shopping in the morning and after much disappointment finally found a pair that not only matched my jacket but fit too. They fit better when I didn't have 3 layers on under them but still - they were good! It's amazing how a medium and a large in some items are light years apart. There were moments when Likalia just laughed at me when I opened the dressing room door because I was either drowning in a pool of snow gear or having to suck in so much I would have keeled over if I'd taken a step.

Anyhoo... the actually snowshoeing thing rocked. I loved it and it was a terrific workout. Much different than the last time I'd been snowshoeing almost 2 decades ago (can you believe I can say that!?). Those shoes were traditional garb where as the ones we had on Saturday were super duper high tech. Loved it! Did I mention that? The fondue dinner kicked butt as well though there was surprisingly too much food to eat it all.

Today I rocked it at the gym. I had a personal trainer session earlier in the week and she'd told me to try the 20-20-20. "The what?" It's when you do 20 minutes of cardio on 3 different machines without breaks and keep your heart rate at a constant level. She initially recommended I do this once a week but after seeing the puzzled and totally disappointed look on my face said, "or you can do this 2-3 times a week because you have a lot of energy." Thank goodness! So I tried it out today and for the first time in... well, a long time... I was dripping with sweat by the end but was totally pumped as well. I wasn't at all winded and just felt wonderful! YAY! I'm proud of me! :D Still, no huge change in the actual weight - still trying to shed that 5 I put on this fall (grrrr..) 2 more to go and I'm back to August again so that's good.